NEW YORK (July 31, 2025) - The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) kicks off the second half of its 2025 season this Friday following a highly successful summer tournament window that underscored the league’s expanding footprint and influence within the global football landscape. NWSL players delivered standout performances across three major international competitions, including the UEFA Women’s EUROs, Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and Copa América Femenina, with a combined 39 players representing 19 countries and 13 active NWSL clubs at the start of the tournament cycle.

Player participation surged compared to the last tournament cycle in 2022:

• Headlined by NWSL leading scorer and tournament Golden Boot winner Esther González (Gotham FC), EUROs representation more than tripled.
• Led by legendary women’s soccer star Marta (Orlando Pride), Copa América players more than tripled.
• Bolstered by the scoring prowess of Zambian stars Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride) and Racheal Kundananji (Bay FC), WAFCON participation more than doubled.

NWSL players made a meaningful impact on the field across all three tournaments, combining for 24 goals, 14 assists and six game-winning goals through the EUROs and WAFCON finals and Copa semifinals (with the Copa final still to be played). This represents a threefold increase in goal production and an eightfold increase in assists compared to 2022.

Five players have already lifted tournament trophies, with more still to come as Brazil and Colombia, boasting a combined nine active NWSL players, are set to compete for the 2025 Copa América title on Saturday. Following the conclusion of that contest, the NWSL will be home to reigning champions from all three 2025 summer tournaments as well as the 2024 Summer Olympics and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

At the EUROs, NWSL players saw a more than 200% increase in total participants and a 300% rise in players from top-10 FIFA-ranked national teams. They also ranked among the most productive scorers across all represented leagues, showcasing both the quality and efficiency of the league’s top international stars.

As players continue to excel on the pitch, the NWSL continues to gain momentum across key business functions off of it.

• Through Week 13 of the regular season, the league recorded over 1.2 billion live match minutes viewed.
• Average live streams increased by 34% year-over-year, while viewing hours on Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST) platforms rose by 18% over the same period.
• In stadiums, 71% of clubs have drawn crowds of over 10,000.

Fan engagement across platforms has surged, with league social media followership up 37% year-over-year and TikTok seeing a 445% jump in new followers. YouTube viewership has also grown, with 9.6 million minutes of 2025 regular season action watched to date.

With five new league-level sponsors added so far in 2025 – AT&T, bobbie, e.l.f., Tylenol, and Unwell – commercial growth remains strong, as brands continue to recognize the league’s rising cultural relevance, dynamic and engaged fanbase, and values-driven platform.

With playoff races intensifying, the battle for the NWSL Shield, presented by CarMax, heating up and global visibility at a high following a standout summer tournament window, the NWSL is well positioned for a strong and impactful finish to the 2025 campaign.

The NWSL returns this weekend with all teams in action. Coverage kicks off Friday night with Racing Louisville FC vs. Kansas City Current on Prime Video, followed by a pair of NWSL+ matches, featuring Angel City FC, Chicago Stars FC, Gotham FC and Seattle Reign FC.

National platform coverage continues with an ION doubleheader featuring Bay FC, the Houston Dash, North Carolina Courage and San Diego Wave FC on Saturday before the NWSL returns to ABC for Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns FC.

More information on how to watch the NWSL can be found here.